of the lunar month, but she does not know whether it was six days, seven, or ten. Thus, she has forgotten the duration but knows its time.

We say: She refers to the usual menstrual period, observing six or seven days from the beginning of the month, because she knows that her established pattern began at the start of the month. It has already been stated that, according to the preponderant view, she refers to the usual pattern of her female relatives.

If she knows its duration but has forgotten its time within the month, even if she knows that it was during the latter half of the month, she observes it from the beginning of the month—like a woman who has no established pattern or distinguishing characteristics, and like one whose established pattern has increased, come earlier, or come later: whatever recurs three times is menstruation; whatever is less than the established pattern is purity; and if it returns during it, she observes it, ........

His statement, “If she knows its duration but has forgotten its time within the month,” refers to the opposite of the previous case: she knows the duration but has forgotten the time within the month.

We say to her: “How long is your established pattern?” If she says, “Six days, but I have forgotten whether they were at the beginning, middle, or end of the month,” we instruct her to observe it from the beginning of the month, according to her established pattern.

His statement, “even if she knows that it was during the latter half of the month, she observes it from its beginning”: the word “even if” indicates that there is a differing view.

That is, she knows that it was during the latter half of the month, but she does not know on which day of that half: was it on the fifteenth or the twentieth? She therefore refers to the beginning of the month because the specific time has been lost. This is the established position of the school.

The second view is that she observes it from the beginning of the latter half of the month (1), because that is closer than the beginning of the month. This is the correct view.

His statement, “like a woman who has no established pattern or distinguishing characteristics”: the word “one” is an indefinite noun qualified by a description; the intended meaning is: like a woman experiencing menstruation for the first time. We know this intended meaning from his words, “who has no established pattern.”